ABSTRACT
In publications of Yadav caste associations, more often than not it is possible to find maps of India or other Indian states in which Ahir/ Yadav historical and cultural significant places are specially marked. The landscapes of mythical and historical Ahir/Yadav kingdoms, together with Krishna’s sacred topography, contribute a great deal to the story this book tells. First, they offer to ordinary local Ahir/Yadavs visible and physical marks of their presumed glorious and divine heritage, shaping their sense of the past and consolidating a sense of Yadav commonality. Second, these ethno-historic landmarks offer a wide repertoire of sources to Yadav historians and politicians, who then transform the available ‘signs of history’ into a successful narrative. The Braj-Ahirwal area is hence both the land of Krishna and of the Ahirs. Contemporary Ahir/Yadavs consider this area as their ancestral homeland. Mathura is recognised as one of Hinduism’s seven sacred cities.
